August 2006
Secondhand smoke threatens kids
Former surgeon general says children face the greatest risk.
It's no longer debatable: Secondhand smoke is a serious public-health hazard, causing premature death and disease, particularly
in children. And there's no safe level of exposure to smoke, according to a June 2006 report from then-Surgeon General Richard
Carmona, the nation's top public-health educator.
Inhaling secondhand smoke increases an adult's risk of heart disease by an estimated 25 to 30 percent and of lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent, the report concluded. And it may possibly raise the risk of other cancers, stroke, and serious respiratory disorders.
But babies and children face the most risk, for three reasons. While smoking has been banned in many public places, there's no such protection for children at home. Kids' developing bodies are also more vulnerable to the toxic chemicals in smoke. And nicotine from smoke accumulates on walls, carpets, and furniture, which young children are more likely to touch with their hands or mouth. Indeed, the former surgeon general called children's exposure "a significant pediatric issue."
Exposure to smoke from a parent's habit raises the risk of multiple problems during infancy and childhood, including:
Those findings make it more important than ever for parents and other child caregivers to stop smoking, or at least not to smoke in a child's presence. Moreover, the evidence should motivate nonsmoking parents to ask others not to smoke near babies and kids. If you're trying to quit, the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality offers a free smoking-cessation kit, available by calling 800-358-9295 or going to www.ahrq.gov/consumer/tobacco.
For more information, see our free reports on children's asthma, as well as adult smoking and nicotine addiction.
Inhaling secondhand smoke increases an adult's risk of heart disease by an estimated 25 to 30 percent and of lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent, the report concluded. And it may possibly raise the risk of other cancers, stroke, and serious respiratory disorders.
But babies and children face the most risk, for three reasons. While smoking has been banned in many public places, there's no such protection for children at home. Kids' developing bodies are also more vulnerable to the toxic chemicals in smoke. And nicotine from smoke accumulates on walls, carpets, and furniture, which young children are more likely to touch with their hands or mouth. Indeed, the former surgeon general called children's exposure "a significant pediatric issue."
Exposure to smoke from a parent's habit raises the risk of multiple problems during infancy and childhood, including:
- SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Secondhand smoke causes an estimated 430 deaths per year in the U.S., the surgeon general's report said.
- Asthma and slower lung development.
- Respiratory and ear infections.
- Possibly childhood leukemia, lymphoma, and brain tumors, though that's not certain.
Those findings make it more important than ever for parents and other child caregivers to stop smoking, or at least not to smoke in a child's presence. Moreover, the evidence should motivate nonsmoking parents to ask others not to smoke near babies and kids. If you're trying to quit, the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality offers a free smoking-cessation kit, available by calling 800-358-9295 or going to www.ahrq.gov/consumer/tobacco.
For more information, see our free reports on children's asthma, as well as adult smoking and nicotine addiction.
